NEW IBERIA - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has approved adding ZIP Code 70544 to the areas in Iberia Parish eligible to receive Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) benefits.

DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance to eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.

The DSNAP office is at South LA Community College, 908 Ember Dr., New Iberia and will be open through Saturday, August 27, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

Applicants from ZIP Code 70544 should go on the following designated days, based on their last name.

• Friday, August 26: A-K applicants unable to make prior scheduled day

• Saturday, August 27: L-Z applicants unable to make prior scheduled day

Those applying for DSNAP MUST go to a specified DSNAP site for the parish where they resided during the disaster to apply and receive benefits, if eligible.

Applicants may name an Authorized Representative to go to a DSNAP site on their behalf. Authorized Representatives must bring with them to the DSNAP site a picture ID and the picture ID of the applicant/head of household along with a signed statement from the applicant/head of household or an adult household member authorizing them as a representative.

Accommodations will be made for the elderly and those with disabilities to reduce on-site wait times, but we strongly encourage these residents to name an Authorized Representative to visit a DSNAP site and complete an application on their behalf.

Regular SNAP households DO NOT need to apply for DSNAP. Impacted households that receive regular SNAP benefits in the DSNAP parishes will have additional SNAP benefits added to their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards if they are not already receiving the maximum allotment for their household size.

To help expedite the application process DCFS is encouraging residents in all affected areas to pre-register for DSNAP benefits. The pre-registration is not an application for DSNAP. Residents will need to go to the parish DSNAP site in which they reside to complete an application and determine their DSNAP eligibility.

The best way to pre-register is online at www.dcfs.la.gov/preregister. However, residents can also pre-register by phone at 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578.

Callers will select the appropriate language and then select options 3 and 3. All pre-registrants will have to provide the following information:

• Name, Social Security Number and Date of Birth for each household member

• Current address and parish of household

• Monthly income for each household member

• All liquid assets for each household member (cash on hand, checking, savings)

The information will be kept securely on file and will be confidential.

The pre-registration process does not guarantee benefits, but is designed to save time, minimize long waits and prevent applicants from coming to the site, only to find out that they do not have the right information needed to apply.

As with all programs, DCFS works to ensure this program and others are available for eligible applicants by aggressively protecting against fraud in benefits programs year round. Strong safeguards are in place to ensure that only eligible citizens receive DSNAP benefits, to identify those who are dishonest about their eligibility and to pursue recoupment and/or prosecution